Supply well for Dona Ana Range Camp, Dona Ana County, New Mexico

UNITED GTATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Albuquerque, Kev Mexico

Supply well for Dona Ana Range Camp,

Dona Ana County, New Mexico

By

Gene C. Doty

Open file report

Prepared for U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque District

April 1967

Contents

Page

Introduction c

Drilling and testing procedures 8

Conclusions and recommendations

Reference cited

Illustrations

Page

Figure 1.--Location of Dona Ana Range Camp, and water

well sites at the Camp, Dona Ana County,

New Mexico ---------- ---- - ------ 5

2.--Induction electrical log and drilling-time plots ReferencePage 8

of Dona Ana Range Camp well No. 2 - ------ -in pocket

3. Micro resistivity and caliper logs of ReferencePage 8

Dona Ana Range Camp well No. 2 - ----- --- In pocket

4.--Hydrograph of step-pumping test of Dona Ana

Range Camp well No. 2, October 10, 1966 10

5.--Water level drawdown plot, Dona Ana Range Camp

well No. 2, October 12, 1966 12

6. Plot of recovery test data, Dona Ana Range Camp

well No. 2, October 13, 1966 13

Tables

Page

Table 1. Record of Dona Ana Range Camp, well No. 2 17

2. Sample description log of Dona Ana Range Camp,

well No. 2 19

3. Chemical analyses of water from Dona Ana

Range Camp, well No. 2 23

Supply well for Dona Ana Range Camp,

Dona Ana County, New Mexico

By

Gene C. Doty

Introduction

Dona Ana Range Camp is a military encampment and troop-training

area on the Fort Bliss military reservation in Dona Ana County, New

Mexico. A single water well has supplied an adequate quantity of

water for the facility for several years; however, an increased use

of the area is planned and an additional water-supply well is required

for domestic use and fire protection. This report is submitted in

fulfillment of an agreement between the U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers,

Albuquerque District and the U.S. Geological Survey wherein the Survey

agreed to furnish drilling specifications, monitor drilling operations

and, supply technical advice to the Corps of Engineers during drilling

operations.

The location of Dona Ana Range Camp is shown in figure 1. For

information on the general geology, hydrology, and geography of the

area, the reader is referred to Texas Board of Water Engineers

Bulletin 5615.

R.IE. R.2E. R.3 E R.4E. R.5E.

NEW MEXICO

Las Cruces

...J

MEXICO

Base from U. S. Geological Survey Base Map, 1955 \

5 MilesSection II

DONA ANA RANGE CAMP

1000 2000 3000 Feet i_____i_____I

Figure 1.--Location of Dona Ana Range Camp, and water well sites at the Camp, Dona Ana County, New Mexico

Information on the existing supply veil, shovn as veil 1 on

figure 1, was obtained from Mr. Ifervin Davis, U.S. Geological Survey,

El Paso, Texas, (oral communication). Well 1 was drilled in 1959 "by

the Cass Drilling Co. of El Paso,. Texas, a few feet from an older

well that is reported in Bulletin 5615. Well 1 was drilled by the

hydraulic rotary method to a depth of 799 feet and was cased with

10-inch diameter casing to 785 feet; the casing was perforated with

mill-cut slots from 360 to 78? feet. The well is of gravel envelope

construction and was initially test pumped at 6^4-2 gpm (gallons per

minute) with about 19 feet of drawdown.

The record of drilling and well construction for well 2 is

included in table 1, and a description of the drill cuttings samples

is included in table 2. Records of chemical analyses of water samples

collected during drilling and test pumping are included in table 3-

Drilling and testing procedures

An oil field drilling rig of the hydraulic-rotary type was

moved in and an 8-inch diameter pilot hole was drilled to a depth

of 448 feet. The pilot hole vas then cased with 410 feet of

temporary 5-inch diameter casing, with the lowermost 27 feet of the

casing clotted with torch-cut perforations. The drilling rig was

not equipped for bailing, so an auxiliary service rig was used to

obtain a water sample by bailing inside the temporary casing. Sand

locked the temporary casing in the pilot hole and it became necessary

to wash over the casing string in order to remove it from the hole.

The pilot hole was then deepened to a depth of 807 feet, electric

Iocs were run (figs. 2 and 3) and a water sample was collected from

the bottom of the hole.

To collect the bottom-hole water sample, several unsuccessful attempts were

made to isolate the lower part of the pilot hole with a bottom-set

expansion packer. A hydraulically inflatable packer was then used

and water for the sample was removed with a bailer by the auxiliary

service rig.

The pilot hole was reamed to a depth of 360 feet and an 18-inch

diameter gravel-conductor pipe was cemented in place. The hole

below the conductor pipe was then reamed to a diameter of 18 inches

to total depth and a 10-inch diameter service casing installed. The

gravel envelope was then emplaced hydraulically by a water-well

subcontractor.

8

The oil field rig was moved from the location and "bailing and

surging development of the veil was accomplished by the auxiliary

service rig. During the bailing the gravel pack lowered about 39

feet. The test pump was then installed by another subcontractor

after the bailing unit moved from the location.

The rate of development pumping specified by the contract

required pump bowls of such large diameter that little clearance

remained between the bowls and the casing; this condition presented

a hazard if much sand entered the well during development and re­

stricted water movement in the casing. Permission to decrease the

pumping rate during development was granted by the Corps of Engineers

and the contractor installed smaller pump bowls and column pipe.

The well was developed by surging and pumping with the test

pump for about 68 hours. Sand content of the pumped water, measured

in an Tmhoff cone, ranged from 3-5 milliterjper liter immediately

after surging during the first few hours of development pumping, to

a trace at the end of development. During development the well was

pumped at rates ranging from 225 gpm to ij-13 gpm. The water-level

drawdown at three different rates of pumping is shown in figure k.

The depth to water was measured by the pump crew with an electric

tape and the measurements probably are not more accurate than to

the nearest foot.

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The well was not pumped for 2k hours prior to the 2k hour

constant-rate aquifer test. During the 2^ hour aquifer test the

veil discharge vas maintained as closely as possible at 350 gpm and

the depth to water was measured with an electric tape by the Survey.

These data are plotted on figures 5 and 6. Pump discharge was

measured with a 4-inch diameter orifice plate in a 6-inch diameter

discharge pipe. Barometric pressure was measured with an aneroid

barometer during the time water-level measurements were made and was

found to be relatively stable except for a diurnal fluctuation of

about 0.13 inch of mercury.

Data from the drawdown part at the aquifer test (fig. 5) are

distorted by fluctuations in water level resulting from small

fluctuations in pump discharge. The coefficient of transmissibility

(T) has been computed as shown on the plot to be about 170 ,000 gallons

per day per foot. The data from the recovery part of the test

(fig. 6) plots smoother than the drawdown data but does not conform

to the theoretical straight line. The coefficient of transmissibility,

computed from the recovery data plot as shown, is about 170,000

gallons per day per foot.

11

ST

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Conclusion and recommendations

5

Dona Ana Range Camp well No. 2 was drilled and tested in

accordance with contract specifications. Use of an oil field

drilling rig and specialty service units for various phases of the

work is unusual to normal water well drilling practices, and

probably was costly to the prime contractor. Workmanship was good,

however, and the time schedule required by the contract was

maintained.

The supply well should yield the required amount (250 gpm)

of good quality, sand-free water. The aquifer characteristics are

not well defined by the aquifer data but the available data suggests

that the aquifer is capable of supplying more than the required

amount of water with a small drawdown. The coefficient of storage

cannot be determined from the aquifer test data because an

observation well other than the pumped well was not available, but

the particle size of the drill cuttings and the thickness of

saturation suggest that a large volume of water, in proportion to

the required amount, is available to the well.

The chemical quality (see table 3) of the water from the well

is good and is within U.S. Public Health Service (1962) recommended

limits for the constituents analyzed. The water is similar in quality

to that from well No. 1, although slightly lower in fluoride and

chloride. The water is low in total dissolved solids, but must be

classified as hard by current national standards.

14

Construction of additional wells at Dona Ana Range Camp, if

required, should incorporate several items of information obtained

from drilling of well No. 2. Larger casing should be used because

the larger casing is easier to work in during development of the

well and the yield of a well in this area is more likely to be

limited by the size of the pump that can be installed in the casing

rather than by aquifer characteristics. A gravel envelope similar

in particle-size distribution to that used in well No. 2 should be

used in future wells to prevent sand from entering the casing.

Future wells should be situated west of the present wells to

take advantage of any increase in particle size of the unconsolidated

sediments that may exist toward the source area of the sediments on

the fan slope. The pilot hole of any future well should be drilled

several hundred feet deeper than the planned completion depth of the

well to determine whether or not saline water underlies the well

field area.

15

Reference cited

Knowles, D. B., and Kennedy, R. A., 1956, Ground water resources

of the Hueco bolson, northeast of El Paso, Texas: Texas Board

Water Engineers * Bull 5615, 266 p.; also 1958, U.S. Geol.

Survey Water Supply Paper 1426, 186 p (1959).

U.S. Public Health Service, 1962, Drinking water standards, Public

Health Serv., Pub. No. 956, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, 61p.

*Name of agency changed to Texas Water Commission

January 30, 1962.

16

Table 1 .--Record of Dona Ana Range Camp well No. 2

Location: SW^NE^NW^ sec. 11, T. 25 S., R. 4 E., Dona Ana County, N. Hex.

Latitude: 32 009'07"

Longitude; 106°30'30"

Altitude: Land surface altitude 4,102 feet above mean sea level,

interpolated from USGS topographic map.

.Depth; Pilot hole and completed well 800 feet (below land surface).

Date completed: October 12, 1966 (teat pumped)

Drilling contractor: Joe Melton Drilling Co., Midland, Texas for

Metz Construction Co.

Dril1 ing method; Hydraulic rotary

Casing and well record: Pilot hole drilled with 7 7/8-inch bit to

800 feet July 29 to August 18, 1966; hole reamed to 18-inch diameter

to 360-foot depth August 30 to September 6, 1966; 18-inch conductor

casing cemented in at 360 feet September 7, 1966; pilot hole reamed

to 18-inch diameter to total depth September 12 to 15, 1966 and

cement plug set on bottom. Blank 10-inch casing was installed from

ground level to 360 feet with 442 feat of 10-inch, mill slotted

1/8 X 3 inch casing below blank casing; 448 feet of 1 1/2-inch gage

line was installed outside the 10-inch casing and welded into the

slotted casing with a gentle bend. Approximately 41 yards of gravel

composed of 75 percent 1/8 to 3/8-inch diameter and 25 percent

1/32 to 1/8-inch diameter particles was hydraulically emplaced

September 17 and 18, 1966 to form a gravel envelope. The well was

developed by bailing with a tight-fitting bailer and surging and

pumping with a test pump.

l?

Table 1 .--Record of Dona Ana Range Camp well

No. 2 - Concluded

Well completion record: Concrete well head set and production pump

instalLed.

Geologic source and yield: Water obtained from sand and gravel

bolson deposits. Well test pumped for 24 hours at 350 gallons

per minute with 13 feet of drawdown. Prepumping depth to water 356.96

feet below top of gage line approximately 0.5 feet above ground

level.

Formation logs: (1) Sample description (2) Microlog and electric

log.

Water samples: See table 3

18

Table 2.--Sample description log of Dona Ana Range Camp

well No. 2

(All depths are referenced to the rotary bushing 7.3 feet

above ground level)

Depth interval _____________Material_______ ___________________(feet)

Sand, reddish tan, gravel to 20 mm (millimeters)

diameter, and some tan clay -- ---__-----__---_--_ 0- 10

Sand and gravel to 15 mm diameter; all particles

are well rounded to angular, poorly sorted, and

are comprised of quartz, pink feldspar, and acid

igneous extrusive rocks - --- - ------- - - 10- 15

Gravel, granule to pebble, well rounded to angular,

poorly sorted, mixed composition and sand ---- - - 15- 35

Sand, very coarse to very fine, angular to well

rounded, poorly sorted, mixed composition and

granule size gravel ---- ___-.__-__--__--__-__--__ 35- 45

Sand and gravel as in interval 35-45 and some silt

to clay size material _-____-- ___ ______ ____ 45. 60

Sand and gravel as in interval 35-45 and clay - - - 60- 85

Sand, very fine to very coarse, angular to well

rounded, poorly sorted, mostly quartz and mixed

igneous rocks; some granule size gravel ------ --__ 85-130

Gravel, granule, rounded to angular, mixed

composition, and some sand - -- --------- - 130-155

Gravel and sand as in interval 130-155 and a

little clay _ _______ 155-195

19

Table 2 Sample description log of Dona Ana Range Camp

well No. 2 - Continued

Depth interval _____________Material__________________________(feet)

Gravel and sand as in interval 130-155 - 195-245

Gravel, pebble to 21 mm diameter, rounded to angular,

poorly sorted, mixed composition - - ----- 245-275

Gravel as in interval 245-275 and sand 275-285

Gravel, to 15 mm diameter, as in interval 245-275,

clay and sand 285-305

Clay, tan, and gravel to 40 mm diameter, and some

sand 305-310

Gravel to 25 mm diameter as in interval 245-275,

clay, and some sand ---- - ____________________ 310-340

Sand, medium, and gravel to 20 mm diameter ------- - 340-345

Gravel, to 30 mm diameter, as in interval 245-275,

sand and clay - ----- - _--_ _ ___ . 345-365

Sand, very fine to very coarse, angular to well

rounded, poorly sorted, mostly quartz, and gravel

to 17 mm diameter; trace of clay in interval 380-390 365-390

Sand, as in interval 365-390, and granule gravel - 390-405

Gravel, granule, and sand -__.________-_-.___ 405-410

Sand, as in interval 365-390 and granule gravel ----- 410-455

Gravel, granule, sand and trace of clay ---------- - 455-465

20

Table 2 .--Sample description log of Dona Ana Range Camp

well No. 2 - Continued

Depth interval

_____________Material__________________________(feet)

Sand, coarse to very fine, angular to well rounded,

poorly sorted, mostly quartz, clean -- --- 465-490

Sand, very coarse to very fine, otherwise as in

interval 465-490, and granule gravel ----- --- . 490-520

Sand, very coarse to very fine, otherwise as in

interval 465-490 520-550

Sand, as in interval 520-550, tan clay and granule

gravel - _____-_.__ ............. - -- ... 550-555

Clay, tan and some white, sand, and some granule

gravel 555-560

Gravel, granule, sand, and clay ------ ______ 560-570

Sand, as in interval 520-550, granule gravel and clay- 570-580

Gravel, granule, well rounded to angular, fairly well

sorted, mixed composition, sand and trace of clay -- 580-590

Sand, as in interval 520-550, granule gravel and

a trace of clay - - 590-600

Sand, very coarse to very fine, well rounded to

angular, poorly sorted, mostly quartz, few granule

size particles and trace of clay ------- ____. .. 600-670

Gravel, granule, and sand ___-_________».___ 670-675

Clay, tan, granule gravel, and sand -- -------- -_ 675-695

Sand, as in interval 520-550, granule gravel and clay- 695-710

21

Table 2- Sample description log of'Dona Ana Range Camp

well No. 2 - Concluded

Depth interval

_____________Material___________________________(feet)

Gravel, granule, sand and clay - - ---- -- 710-715

Sand, very coarse to very fine, angular to well

rounded, poorly sorted, mixed composition, granule

gravel and trace of tan clay ________ ________ 715-740

Gravel, granule, clay and sand -- -- --- 740-750

Sand, granule gravel, gravel and clay as in interval

715-740 750-807

22

Analyses by Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior

T"iato fif f»Ai^Pf*tinn

Silica (SiO2) ....................Iron (Fe) , dissolved I/ ..........Iron (Fe) , total .................Manganese (Mn), dissolved!/ ... Manganese (Mn) , total ..........

Calcium (Ca) ...................Magnesium (Mg) ................Sodium (Na) ....................Potassium (K) ..................

Bicarbonate (HCO3) .............Carbonate (CO3) ..... ... » .v.Sulfate (SO4)........... '.'.... ....Chloride (Cl) ...................Fluoride (?). ...................Nitrate (NO3) ...................

Dissolved solids

Residue on evaporation at 180°C..................

Specific conductance (micromhos at 25°C) .........

«ti pH ............................Colo:-.. ........................Temperature °F

I/

8/6/66

59 37

696

82

2/ ±/

8/26/66|iO/13/66

58 24

635

85

32 0.08 0.16

44 17 63

244 0

59 35 0.5 4.8

375

375 180

0

605 7.5

85~

I/In solution at time of analysis._2_/Collected with bailer when hole was 448 feet deep. Blank

pipe 0 to 383 feet, slotted pipe 383 to 410 feet._3_/Collected with bailer when hole was 807 feet deep (total depth)

Blank pipe 0 to 669 feet, slotted pipe 669 to 673 feet._4/Collected from pump discharge when well was test pumped.

Total depth 807 feet.

23